Cafe au lait spots are fairly common skin lesions in children. Although most are usually benign, many times they can indicate the presence of serious pathologies.
Many parents, especially new ones, are very attentive to any changes in their baby’s skin, as these may be indicative of an underlying problem. One of the most common alterations is coffee with milk stains, so we will tell you everything you need to know about them.
As the name implies, these are spots that appear on the skin with a light brown color and a variable size and number. They can be a birthmark or become evident throughout childhood. According to data from the Spanish Association of Pediatrics, they are found in 10% of the population.
Café-au-lait spots are usually flat, have uneven edges, and become more noticeable around 2 years of age. It is important to note that its size increases as the child grows, without this being indicative of any pathology.
Why do these spots occur?
The color of the skin is given by a pigment called melanin , which is responsible for protecting against the incidence of ultraviolet rays. This substance is produced by a cell called melanocyte , which stores the pigment inside in the form of deposits ( melanosomes ).
In the specific case of café au lait spots, there is an excessive amount of melanosomes inside the melanocytes of a specific area. This causes a darker pigmentation to appear in the area.
On the other hand, certain diseases are capable of increasing the number of melanocytes in the skin, which is why these spots can appear in various parts of the body. In addition, scientific studies have shown a direct relationship between these brands and the following pathologies:
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